Knockover-bit control means fo knitting machines



Sept. 1, 1936. Y RlcHTER 2,053,225

KNOCKOVER BIT CONTROL MEANS FOR KI IITTING MACHINES Filed March'9, 19554 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fits-g1- INVEN TOR: ,D'Zaw, whir,

ATTORNEY M. RICHTER Sept. 1, 1936.

KNOCKOVER BIT CONTROL MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 9, 19 5 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: v lflaaz; pchir,

I BY ATTORNEY Sept. 1, 1936. 2,053,225

KNOCKOVER BIT CONTROL MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES M. RICHTER Filed March9, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR:

ATTORN Y 3 MW in w .V, w HEm/B 11-; T. N Il 3174 PM. v w 4 4 j W g Sept1, 1936., RlCHTER 2,053,225

KNOCKOVER BIT CONTROL MEANS FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 9, 1935 1Sheets-Sheet 4 FLE m5...

j I MLVEN'TOR: 7

A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 1, 1936 UNITED STATES KNOCKOVER-BIT CONTROL MEANS F0.-

.KNITTING MACHINES,

Max Richter, West Reading, Pa., assignor to Textile Machine Works,Wyomissing Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March 9, 1935,Serial No. 10,170 13 Claims. (01. 66-109) My invention relates toknockover-bit control means for knitting machines and particularly tomeans for automatically selectively positioning knockover bits of astraight knitting machine, as in accordance with the thickness of theyarn, the size of the loops, and the position of the welt hooks.

In the construction of a full fashioned knitting machine of a well knownmake, a series of three cams is provided, each cam of which operates asan actuating member, for selectively imparting cyclic movements to theknockover bit structure, in accordance with the various portions ofstocking fabric being produced. As shown in Patent No. 1,150,567,granted to M. Zwicky, August 17., 1915, and assigned to the TextileMachine Works,

, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, operation of the mechanism, by a selectedcam of the series, is effected through a cam follower, which is manually2 shifted from one cam to another.

However, in high-speed production, the manually operable means is slow,uncertain and costly, and it is an object of this invention to providenovel control means whereby the cam follower members may beautomatically positioned in accordance ,with a pattern, whereby theoperation is accelerated, the likelihood of error is reduced,.

and economy and other advantages are obtained. Also, 'altho variousmechanisms of knitting 3 machines have been operated automatically, an dfrom auxiliary pattern units, as controlled by main pattern devices andalthough I am not aware that cam selecting means for the knockover bitsof a straight knitting machine have 35 been so operated and controlled,a device heretofore suggested for operating such mechanisms, other thanthose for operating the knockover bits, by such auxiliary pattern unitand main v pattern device, has employed a constantly omrating elementiorperiodically operating the auxiliary pattern unit through one linkage,and" another device operating through another linkage for controllingthe effective operation of the constantly operating element. This.arrangement of parts causes undue noise, vibration and wear of theparts, is more likehr to get out of order and has other'disadvantages.

It is accordingly, a further object of the invention, in associationwith a straight knitting 50 machine embodying automatic cam selectingmeans for the knockover bit control mechanisms,

to eliminate such constantly operating'part, and

the necessity for the above-mentioned separate linkages, and to providea mechanism which op- 55 erates only when necessary, and through asingle linkage, in a manner hereinafter more particularly pointed out,whereby to reduce noise, vibration, wear, expense, number of parts andother incidental objections, and to' provide a device that is simple anddurable in construction, eco- 5 nomical to manufacture d eifective inits op-v e'ration,

With these and other objects in view, which will be apparent from thefollowing description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention, 10shown in the accompanying drawings, my in- I vention resides in thenovel elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts incooperative relationship, as hereinafter more particularly pointed outin the claims. 5 In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of 'a full fashionedknitting machine, showing the invention in combination therewith; Fig. 2is a partial top plan view of the struc- 2o ture shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail view taken substantially along the line M of Fig. 2;and

Fig. 5 is'a diagram of the leg blank of a fullfashioned stocking,together with a pattern chain, as developed or opened out along astraight line in side elevation from its normally looped shape,indicating the positions along the blank so at which the extent ofmovement of the knockover bits is changed and the corresponding links ofthe chain by which such changes are eifected. The drawings illustrateparts of a' Reading full fashioned stocking machine, and the mechanismof my invention. For clearness, only those parts of the machinenecessary for an understanding of the invention are shown, the otherparts and the manner of operation thereof being well known in the art,as shown and described in the Read- 40 ingf' Full Fashioned KnittingMachine Catalogue, copyright 1929, and published by. the Textile MachineWorks, Reading, Pennsylvania.

Referring to the drawings: A full fashioned knitting machine, for whichthe invention is adapted, includes usual center frames i0, which supportand are maintained in spaced relation to each other by a front rail ii,a back rail It, a front bed It and a center bed IS, in a usual frameworkupon which the operating parts of the machine are positioned. A seriesof bearing members are fixed to the irame members ill for supporting thevarious shafts, which are operated by cam discs carried by a main is camshaft I 6 that is rotatable and axially shiftable.

Cooperating with a sinker head assembly S, to move sinkers "and dividersit-into and out of operation with needles H), are a catch bar 20 andjacks 22. The catch bar 20 receives its motion from members carried byfront and back catch shafts 23 and 24, which are operated by suitablecams carried by the main cam shaft IS. The jacks 22 are moved forwardlyby slur cams 25 carried-by cock boxes 25, which are reciprocated upon abar 21, by the cam shaft, through intermediate motion transmittingmechanism ,(not shown). Although the sinkers I! are slurred forward bythe jack members 22, retraction of the sinkers and consequently, similarmovement of the jacks, in addition to forward and backward movement ofthe dividers I 8, is effected by the back catch shaft 24, through themedium of the catch bar 20. Lowering and raising of the catch bar 20into and out of engagement with the sinkers, to permit independentforward movement of the latter by the slur cams, is effected by meansconnected to the front catch shaft 23.

A knockover bit bed 28, which maintains a series of knockover bits 29 inalignment with the sinkers and dividers, is suspended from bearings heldby the sinkerhead, and is oscillated by means associated with theknockover bit shaft 30. This means comprises a section lever 32 carriedby the knockover bit shaft, a connecting lever 33, and a lever 34attached to the knockover bit bed 28.

- The knockover bit shaft 30 is selectively operated by one of the camsin a series of cams 35, see Figs. 2 and 3, carried by the main camshaft.

A lever 36, loosely turnable on the front catch shaft 23, and axiallyfixed thereon by collars 31, has its free end held in yieldingengagement with a latch member 4|, that is secured to the back rail l3.This relation is effected by a spring 39, that is anchored to a bracket40 on the front rail l 2. The latch 4i operates to prevent the camfollower 38 from engaging the round portions of the operating cams, tothereby permit axial shifting of the follower, see Fig. 3.

The working parts of the respective cams are suificiently high to coactwith the cam follower, and to move the lever 36 from engagement with thelatch M to operate the knockover bits. A lever 42, which operates theknockover bit shaft 30, is secured thereto, and linked to the lever 36,by a connecting lever 43. All movements of the lever 36 are therebytransmitted to the knockover bit shaft 30, and to the knockover bits 29,as determined by the profile of the cam with which the cam follower 3Bcooperates. A control shaft 44, carried by bearings 45, which are boltedto a bar 48 extending longitudinally of the machine, has fixed thereto aratchet wheel 54, see Fig. 4, which is intermittently rotated by a pawl41 that is movably mounted on the shaft. ihe pawl 41 is connected to alink 48, to rotate the ratchet and the shaft, when the horizontal arm ofa toggle lever 49 is released by a support lever 50. The lever 50 ispivotally mounted, by a vertical pin 6|, on the front rail l2.

Removal of the support 50, from beneath the lever 49, permits a camfollower 52, which is rotatably carried by the lever 49, to .follow thecontour of its cam 5|, which imparts racking motion to the pawl 4'! onceduring each revolution. This action imparts movement to the ratchetwheel 54 and consequently, to the control shaft 44,. whereupon a controlchain 53, carried by the shaft 44, is advanced.

A pawl 35 cooperate with the ratchet 54 to prevent reverse movement ofthe control shaft, during inoperative movements of the pawl 41. But tons51 on a main pattern chain 58, determine the sequence of operation ofthe lever 50 through the operation of a rod 59 by a lever carried by ausual chain motion mechanism C.

A forked lever 30, carried by an axially movable rod 62, has its legspermanently disposed in an annular recessed portion in the hub of thecam follower 38, see Fig. 2, to align the follower 38 with a selectedcam of the series 35 simultaneously with axial shifting of the. rod 62.

Shiftable cams 63, secured to the cam shaft i6, cooperate with the chainmotion mechanism C for axially moving the cam shaft to operativelyposition the cam members, and to thereby selectively effect plainknitting, or fashioning cycles of the knitting machine.

During the downward travel of the needles into the knockover structure,the newly formed loops are drawn by the needles over the noses of thesinkers and dividers, as the latter are retracted in unison by the catchbar 20. Meanwhile, the knockover bits 29 elevate the fabric supportedthereby to catch the newly formed loops, and to facilitate theinterlacing of these loops with loops of the previous course.

However, aside from the fact that the lowermost position of theknockover bits remains the same during the knitting of the entirestocking, which position is determined by the stop or latch 4|,nevertheless, the upward travel of the knockover bits 29 generallyshould be varied during the knitting of different portions of thefabric. For this purpose, cams of different character are included inthe series 35.

Thus, when the welt bars are operating between the sinker and knockoverstructures, very little, if any, upward travel of the knockover bits ispermissible, if working clearance for the welt hooks is to bemaintained. Since knitting with a heavy yarn necessitates a change inthe operation of the knockover bits, relative to the operation there ofduring the time that the welt hooks are operating between the sinker andknockover structures, these operations must again be altered when alight weight yarn is fed to the needles.

Consequently, since different portions of the stocking require certaindefinite movements of the knockover bits, a plurality of sets of cams,as of two or three cams each, are spaced on different sections of thecam shaft, corresponding cams of the various sets being simultaneouslyoperable for selectively changing the magnitude and timing of theknockover bit movements. Selective operation of the cams is determinedby the axial position of the roller 38 relative to its supporting stud.

Cams of high, low and a medium height are ordinarily included forselectively operating the knockover bit bars. The low cam is employed tooperate the knocking over mechanism, at the start of the welt formingoperation, for confining the upward movement of'the knockover bits to alonger loop, and the knockover bits must be high enough to permit theneedle to pull the newloops fully through the loops of the previouscourse, and clear the fabric. The intermediate cam is employed whenknitting with a light thread.

For mechanically shifting the rod 62, mechanism of the type shown inFigs. 2 and 3 is provided. In this mechanism, a lever 88 is pivotallysupported on a pin 65 in a bracket 68, which is secured .to the backrail I3. A bell crank 81. pivoted on a vertical pin 08, see Fig. 2, toan arm 88, of the bracket 66, transmits motion between the lever 64 andthe rod 82, one end of the bell crank 81 coacting with the lower part ofthe lever 04 and the other end engaging a collar 10 carried by the rod02.

The collar I0 is held in engagement with the forward end of the bellcrank 81 by a tension spring 12, one end of which is anchored by amember '13, to the bracket 63, and the other end of which is connectedto the rod by alcollar 10. The spring 12 maintains a follower 18, of thelever 50, in yielding engagement with the con trol chain 53, through theintermediate members shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The control chain 53 comprises sets of low and high links forcooperation with the follower I0 to selectively align the cam follower88 with the right and center cams of the series of cams 38. with a highlink in the position indicated in the drawings, the cam follower 38 willbe aligned with the middle cam of the series 35. This cam will continueto impart the operative movements to the shaft-30, so long as a highlink on the chain 53 isin engagement with the roller 10.

Movement of the control chain 83 will engage the low links thereof withthe roller I4, whereupon the cam follower 38 will be aligned with thecam at'the right hand end of the series 35 for actuating the knockoverbits. I

As above set forth, each series of cams 35 includes cams of high, lowand medium height for selectively operating the knockover bits. However,in the present instance. only two of these cams are necessary in theproduction of a stocking fabric; To shift the cam follower 38 inalignment with the third cam on the left hand of the series 85,.a'. linksubstantially-higher than the present high link of the control chain 83must be provided.

The hook member ll, anchored to the back rail I3, coacts with the lowerportion of the lever 36 to hold the follower 38 out of engagement withthe idle portions of the knockover bit cams, thereby maintainingtheknockover bits in the lowermost position during the entire coulieringoperation irrespective of the cam with which the follower 38 is aligned.The timing and extent of upward travelof the knockover bits, during thedownward travelof the needles, is governed by the lug or high portionsof the roller-aligned cam discs which coact with the cam follower toactuate the knockover bits.

The above-described arrangement of parts also permits shifting of thecam follower during substantially every half revolution of the camshaft, when the round portions of the cams are passing the cam followerwhile the follower '38 is restrained by the hook H from engaging thesame.

The links of the control chain 53 determine the sequence of operation ofthe knockover bit, cams during. the production of a stocking leg blank.The control chain 53 as diagrammatically indicated in Fig. 5, controlsthe' action of the knockover hits; the length of the chain being and I03represent the first and last courses, re- 5 spectively, of the blankshown, whereby, a line corresponding to the line -l00 of the nextsucceeding blank would lie coincident to, or be the same as, the lineI03 shown;

[is indicated in Fig. 5, the stocking leg blank L extends from the topedge I02 of the folded or ilnishedwelt portion W to-the course I03 ofthe heel tabs T, where the stocking is pressed off the needles II. Theline IOI indicates the first course of loops of the welt W in an openstate.

After the stocking leg bl nk is pressed from the needles I9 at thecourse -03, the control chain 53 is operated for a distancecorrespondingto the distance I08 which extends from the line I00 to the course IOI'of the welt w to align the roller the welt hook's may be inserted intothe fabric at the course IN. The roller 38 is maintained in alignmentwith the lowestcam of the group 30 a distance I08 from the course I0'Ito the course I08, at which p'ositionthe control chain operates to alignthe roller 38 withfia cam for normally operating the knockover bits.maintained to the course I03, at which position the fabric is againpressed from the needles 'I8. As above set forth, there; is a singlelinkage connection, including the link 88, between the auxiliaryfollower unit, repr sented by the shaft 44, the chain 53, the sprocketwheels and other parts, at one end of the linkage, and the cam shaft I6and the main pattern device or chain 51, at the other end of thelinkage. This linkage not only transmits the driving 1 power of the camshaft to the auxiliary pattern chain 53, but is directly affected at aposition locally associated with the cam shaft, in accordance with theselective operation thereof by the main pattern chain. Thus, by throwingthe follower 52 intermittently into and out of engagement with the cam5|, no part of the linkage to the shaft is under constant operation, butoperates only in accordance with the pattern.

The improvement shown and described, by which the above results areobtained, may be modified in various ways, without departing from theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

l. A straight knitting machine comprising knitting mechanism includingknockover bits, an auxiliary pattern unit for controlling cyclicmovementsof the knockover bits in accordance with the pattern, a camshaft,.- a cam on the shaft, linkage including a cam followerforconnecting the auxiliary pattern unit ti and disconnecting it from,the camshaft, and means including a main pattern device for controllingsaid linkage to effect said connections and disconnections.

2. A straight knitting machine comprising knitting mechanism includingknockover bits, an

auxiliary pattern unit for controlling cyclicmovements of the knockoverbits in accordance 38 with the lowest cam of'the series 33, so that Thisposition is said relative movement of the cam and follower elements.

3. A straight knitting machine comprising knitting mechanism includingknock-over bits, a cam shaft, means including a plurality of auxiliarycams on the shaft and an auxiliary follower for selective cooperationwith the auxiliary cams for controlling operation of the knock-overbits, an auxiliary pattern unit for controlling the selectivecooperation between said cams and said follower, a main cam element onthe shaft, linkage between the auxiliary pattern unit and the cam shaftincluding a main follower element for the main cam element, saidelements being movable relative to each other between operative andinoperative positions affecting the operation of said auxiliary patternunit, and means including a main pattern device for controlling saidrelative movement of the main cam and follower elements.

4. A straight knitting machine comprising knitting mechanism includingknock-over bits,

an auxiliary pattern unit for controlling cyclic movements of theknock-over bits in accordance with the pattern, a cam shaft, linkagebetween the auxiliary pattern unit and the cam shaft including anelement for cooperation with an element locally associated with the camshaft,

said elements being movable relative to each other between operative andinoperative positions affecting the operation of said auxiliary patternunit, and means including a main pattern device for controlling therelative movement of said elements.

5. A straight knitting machine comprising knitting mechanism includingknock-over bits, an auxiliary pattern unit including a variable linkchain for controlling cyclic movements of the knock-over bits inaccordance with the pattern, a cam shaft, a cam element on the camshaft, linkage between the auxiliary pattern unit and the cam shaftincluding a follower element for the cam element, said elements beingmovable relative to each other between operative and inoperativepositions affecting the operation of said auxiliary pattern unit, andmeans including a main pattern device for controlling said relativemovement of the cam and follower elements.

6. A straight knitting machine comprising knitting mechanism includingknock-over bits, an auxiliary pattern unit for controlling cyclic movemerits of the knock-over bits in accordance with the pattern, a camshaft and a main pattern device for, respectivey, operating andselecting the operation of, the unit, and means providingonly a singlelinkage connection from the cam shaft and the main pattern device tosaid unit for affecting the unit in accordance with both the operatingeffect of the cam shaft and the selecting effect of the main patterndevice.

'7. A straight knitting machine comprising knit: ting mechanismincluding" knock-over bits, an auxiliary pattern unit for controllingcyclic movements of the bits in accordance with the pattern, a camshaft, linkage between the shaft and the unit for operating the unit,and a main pattern device for controlling the operation of the unit bythe shaft.

8. A straight knitting machine comprising a knitting mechanism includingknock-over bits, a cam shaft, a plurality of auxiliary cams on the shaftfor controlling cyclic movements of the bits in accordance with thepattern, linkage including a follower for selective cooperation with anyone of said. cams, means for shifting the follower and the cams relativeto each other to effect said selection, an auxiliary shaft, an'auxiliary pattern unit on said shaft for controlling the actuation ofsaid shift means, a main cam on the cam shaft, a main pattern device,and linkage between the main cam and the main pattern device foroperating and controlling the auxiliary pattem unit.

9. A straight knitting machine comprising a knitting mechanism includingknock-over hits, a

cam shaft, a plurality of auxiliary cams on the shaft for controllingcyclic movements of the bits in accordance with the pattern, said camsbeing held against turning relative to the shaft and havingaxially-registered blank portions, linkage including a follower forselective cooperation with any of said cams, said follower beingnormally held in position freely clearing said blank cam portions butfor engagement with pattern portions of the cams, means for shifting thefollower to effect said selection, an auxiliary shaft, an auxiliarypattern unit on said shaft for controlling the actuation of said shiftmeans, a main cam on the cam shaft, a main pattern device, and linkagebetween the main cam and the main pattern device for operating andcontrolling the auxiliary follower unit.

10. A straight knitting machine comprising a knitting mechanismincluding knock-over bits, a cam shaft, a plurality of auxiliary cams onthe shaft, linkage between said mechanism and the cams including afollower for selective cooperation with any one of said cams, said camsbeing fixed against turning relative to the shaft and havingaxially-registered blank portions, linkage including a follower forselective cooperation with any. of said cams, said follower beingnormally held in position freely clearing said blank cam portions, but.for engagement with pattern portions of the cams, means for shifting thefollower and thecams axially relative to each other when said blank camportions are opposite the follower to effect said selection, anauxiliary shaft, an auxiliary pattern unit on said shaft for controllingthe actuation of said shift means, amain cam on the cam shaft, linkagebetween the main cam and said unit including a bell crank and a followerfor the main cam carried by one-arm of the bell crank, mechanismcooperating with the other arm of the bell crank to normally hold themain cam follower against following its cam, and a main pattern devicefor controlling said main cam follower holding mechanism.

ll A straight knitting machine comprising a knitting mechanism includingknock-over bits, a cam shaft, a plurality of auxiliary cams fixed to theshaft, linkage between said mechanism and the cams including a followerfor selective cooperation with any one of said earns, the latter havingaxially registered blank portions, 9; rod, a yoke axially slidable onthe rod for shifting said follower in selecting a cam to operate saidmechanism, means for normally holding the follower freely axiallyclearing said blank cam portions during shifting of the follower, butfor engageinent'with pattern portions of the cams, means for shiftingthe yoke, an auxiliary shaft, an auxiliary pattern unit on said shaftfor controlling the actuation said shift means, a main cam on the camshalt,

follower againstifollowing its cam, and a main pattern device forcontrolling said main cam follower holding mechanism.

12. A straight knittingmachine comprising a knitting mechanism includingknock-over bits,

a cam shaft, a plurality of auxiliary cams fixed.

to the shaft, linkage between said mechanism'and the cams including afollower for selective cooperation with any one of said cams, the latterhaving axially registered blank portions, a rod, a yoke axially slidableon the rod for shifting said follower in selecting a cam to operate saidwheel on said auxiliary shaft, an idler sprocket,

wheel, a variable link pattern chain on said wheels, a chain followerand linkage connector between the chain follower and said shift means, amain cam on the cam shaft, linkage between the main cam and said unitincluding a bell crank and a follower for the main cam carried by onearm of the bell crank, mechanism for cooperation with the other arm ofthe bell crank to hold the main cam follower against following the cam,and a main pattern chain for controlling-said main cam follower holdingmechanism.

lever.

13. A straight knitting machine comprising a knitting mechanismincluding knock-over hits. a cam shaft, a plurality of auxiliary camsfixed to the shaft, linkage between said mechanismand the cams includinga follower for selective co- 5 operation with any one of said cams, thelatter having axially registered blank portions, a rod,

a yoke axially slidable on the rod for shifting said V follower inselecting a cam to operate said mechanism, means for normally holdingthe follower freely axially clearing said blank cam portions duringshifting of the follower, but for engagement with pattern portions ofthe cams, means for shifting the yoke, an auxiliary pattern unit forcontrolling the actuation of said shift means, including a sprocketwheel on said auxiliary shaft, an idler sprocket wheel, a variable linkpattern chain on said wheels, a chain follower and linkage connectorbetween the chain follower and said shift means, a main cam on the camshaft, linkagebetween the main cam and said unit, including a bell crankand a follower for the main cam carried by one arm of the bell crank,mechanism,-including a pivoted lever for cooperation with the other armof the bell crank to hold the main cam follower against following itscam, a main pattern chain, and button means on the main pattern chainfor actuating said pivoted MAX RICHTER.

